Rajasthan Government has passed a bill on mandatory registration of marriages, including child marriages. The opposition said that the Bill will legitimise child marriages, and the ruling party said that the Bill does not validate Child marriage, actions can be taken by the Collector.
The opposition parties walked out in protest, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday said that the Compulsory Registration of Marriages (Amendment) Bill, 2021, will legitimise child marriages.
Parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Kumar Dhariwal defended the Bill, he said that the registration of child marriage does not mean that the government is trying to give validity to it. He also said that action will be taken against those who are still indulging in the practice of Child Marriages.
The Bill does not say that child marriage is valid. The Bill says that after marriage, only registration is necessary. It does not imply that child marriage is valid. If the district collector wants, he or she can still take action against the child marriages.
Shanti Kumar Dhariwal ( Parliamentary Affairs Minister)
According to the Amendment, if the bride hasn’t completed 18 years of age or the groom hasn’t completed 21 years of age, then their parents or their guardians have the duty to submit the memorandum.
The Opposition leader, Gulab Chand Kataria of BJP, said that the legislation violated the law against child marriages.
“I think this law is completely wrong. The legislators who have passed it have not seen it. Section 8 of the Bill violates the present law in force against child marriages,” he said.
Gulab Chand Kataria (BJP MLA)
An MLA of BJP, termed the Bill as a Black chapter of history.
It will be a black day for the assembly if this bill is passed. Does the assembly permit us to unanimously allow child marriages? By a show of hands, we will be permitting child marriages. The bill will write a black chapter in the history of the assembly.
Ashok Lahoti, BJP MLA.
Under Section 8 of 2009 Act, The parties, or in case the parties have not completed the age of twenty one years, the parents or as the case may be, guardian of the parties shall be responsible to submit the memorandum within a period of thirty days from the date of solemnisation of the marriage to the Registrar and under the proposed Section 8 of Amendment Bill, the parties to the marriage, or in case the bridegroom has not completed the age of twenty one years or the bride has not completed age of eighteen years, the parents or the guardian of the parties shall be responsible to submit the memorandum in such a manner as may be prescribed, within a period of thirty days from the date of solemnisation of the marriage to the Registrar.
Now according to the bill, the government will appoint and additional district marriage registration officer (DMRO) and block marriage registration officer to register the marriages in the district or block.